[cabinetman]

This is a procedure to make curved moulding, that is of any profile. If what you want is larger or longer than the solid stock you have, or it's too much to make it out of solid stock, this might work for you. I came up with this method many years ago out of necessity, with excellent results. The idea with this is you will be needing two (2) lengths of identical moulding "A" and "B", to make curved piece "C". Keep in mind this is a lamination method and the final moulding will have varied grain due to it being laminated from two different pieces of wood.

As you see in the drawings, "C" is cut to be glued up and installed along its left side. You can start with buying two identical pieces of moulding or make them. The drawings for this explanation are segmented into 1/8" sections. Most woods will bend well in 1/8" thickness. Each segment of "A" and "B" represent a "save" or "saw kerf".

The cross hatched segments represent a "saw kerf". So, after slicing on the TS the segments of both "A" and "B", you will save the segments "a" from "B", "b" from "A", "c" from "B", "d" from "A", etc, for the rest of the profile.

When you have the "saved" segments they will get glued up to form "C" moulding. They can be glued up and clamped all at once or a few at a time. It's imperative to align the moulding up so the profile will be consistant.

Taller curves can be created by just vertically stacking one or more profiles, provided you have made forms for the moulding to glue to. Segments that are covered by another segment can be pin nailed if necessary.

 

[cabinetman]

Joe

Slicing up a single profile and reglueing it will change the profile by what was removed. The "A" and "B" profiles each provide a segment (alternating because of the saw kerf) to glue up yielding the original dimensions. This bent lamination is more for a stacked application, on a single plane, although I have used it for bias curves which I will post.

 

[cabinetman]

very interesting process Cabinetman, thanks for sharing it. So you must make some type of form or template to use to glue the pieces back together at the desired curve?

Did you use this process to make the curved mouldings on the mahogany bar?

Greg

I either make a template, or use the actual piece to which the moulding will be applied. Waxed paper has to be used between the form and the first layers of laminations to allow removal. I did use this method for the bar but it wasn't the first time.

In choosing this method, the choice of using this method or fabricating from solid stock entails the decision of whether the continuous lines of the glue up is more or less acceptable than the sectional segments from cutting solid wood. Other considerations are how much stock will be used for either process, and how much time can be taken.